Eric:
Someone in our lab recently tried drying a gel in a "primitive" way...
and it worked. You may be interested in trying this, since there's no
risk of shattering your gel with sudden changes in pressure.
Lay the gel on a sheet of cellophane, top with plastic wrap. Lay the
gel on the bench on top of a stack of paper towelling, to soak up moisture,
and pile books on top to keep it flat. After a few days, it'll be
dry; and hopefully in one piece.
Carol
Montana State University